


Angus' Surprise

by OneMadHatt



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Body Horror, Character Death, Depression, Lichdom, lemme know if i should tag something else
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-06 23:30:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12828447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneMadHatt/pseuds/OneMadHatt
Summary: Summary: Angus prepares a surprise for the IPRE crew.Word Count: 1,318A/N: This is the first piece of fiction I have wrote in a long time. Shoutout to wizardtwins for her Angus Angst posts which gave me the inspiration (specifically one anon). Super shoutout to stargirls from the Taz Fic Writers discord for helping me with grammar and proofing it!





	Angus' Surprise

Angus was grinning ear to ear. Today was the day. After years of research and preparation, probing Barry and Lup, and keeping Kravitz and the rest of the IPRE in the dark, Angus was ready to begin the Ritual of Lichdom.

 

Angus had selected some old ruins away from civilization as the spot for his ascension. He wanted to be away from people so that the arcane energies wouldn’t be noticed, and no one could be hurt. He passed through the threshold of what he believed to be an old temple to a long-forgotten god and made his way to the broken altar to began his preparations.

 

First, he pulled out a goblet, gilded in gold and inlaid with a large fortune’s worth of enchanted gemstones. He gently placed it on the altar, and began to speak the words for the the incantation. As he spoke, the gems around the goblet glowed with magical energy. As the power of his spell increased, he removed a specially prepared potion from his bag and poured it into the enchanted goblet. The liquid, upon contact with the enchantments, began to glow with an eerie pale light. Arcane power began to swirl around him, kicking up dust as the tempo of the spell rapidly increased. In one fluid motion he reached back into his pack and pulled out a large emerald, which he cupped in two hands. He began speaking even faster and louder, his voice carrying a supernatural tremor. As he held the emerald, the gemstones began to discharge their energy into the liquid, creating a mesmerizing prismatic swirl. With a thunderous crescendo, Angus finished his spell and dropped the emerald into the arcane mixture.

 

Quickly the colors faded, and the liquid calmed. There was a beat, long enough for Angus to fear something was wrong. His thought had no time to complete, as the ritual finished and sent out a powerful arcane shockwave, knocking Angus off his feet and shattering what remained of the ancient altar. Angus rose slowly, thankful that his mage armor took the brunt of the blast, and looked upon the completed ritual. Despite the altar being destroyed, the goblet stayed, floating in place. Angus could sense the powerful energies keeping it aloft. Far above him was the emerald, removed from the concoction, now glowing and slowly rotating.

 

Nervously, Angus approached the goblet. Doubt began to fill him. What if he somehow messed up the ritual? What if he lost control? Stopping before the goblet, Angus took a deep breath to gather his resolve. He had spent so long making everything perfect. He’d checked every little thing at least fifty times. He had even found a way to ensure his lich robe was green. With renewed confidence, he reached out and grasped the goblet with both hands. He was going to be able to help so many more people with this power.

 

Angus drank the entire potion without a second thought. There was no taste, just the sensation of his entire mouth becoming frostburnt. He let go of his newly created phylactery, which simply hovered in place and grabbed his throat. The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He could feel frost forming over his body. He could feel his body dying. Angus hadn’t expected this, but he tried to focus on his thoughts, his memories he had collected over the years. He thought of his grandpa, who gave him his first Caleb Cleveland books and fostered his lifelong passion for discovery.

 

_But you never got to say your goodbye._

 

An unfamiliar voice pierced through the pain, assaulting Angus’ mind.

 

_By the time you were finished with the incident on the Rockport Limited, he was already dead. After all he did for you, you left him alone._

 

It was true. After dealing with the authorities, Angus rushed to his grandpa’s side, but by then it was already too late. Angus was saddened, but knew his grandpa would be proud of him for catching a murderer. But did this voice know something he didn’t?

 

The emerald ceased to rotate and shone a brilliant beam of green energy onto Angus. The magical beam lifted him into the air and forced him into a crucifix position. The energy set his brain on fire, the pain somehow increasing. He tried again to focus on a positive memory; this time of Lucas Miller, whose curiosity and mind rivaled Angus’ own, and whose school Angus taught at. They shared many intellectually satisfying discussions, and…

 

_He only cares about your contribution to his work._

 

The voice came again, somehow more familiar.

 

_His school’s prestige increased with you, and he had so many breakthroughs with you at his side. What has he given you? A job you could have gotten on your own? Face it. He knows how much smarter you are than him, and he purposely holds you back so he can receive the glory._

 

The voice struck a nerve Angus didn’t know existed. He never really thought about it, but now that he had he realized it was all true. There were many times Angus dropped everything to help Lucas with a new theory, but he could not think of a time Lucas helped Angus on a case.

 

The emerald’s light increased in intensity. While the burning in his mind stayed, the cold began to subside. Angus was thankful at first, until he saw flakes float by. To his horror, he realized his skin was slowly being burnt away. The ashes drifted towards the emerald and began to orbit around it. The reality of what was happening struck Angus, and in desperation he thought of Lucretia. Lucretia had been Angus’ number one fan ever since he joined the Bureau of Balance. Lucretia would have the resolve to do this, and Angus sought to rely on that.

 

_Ah, but that resolve cost her dearly._

 

Once again the voice eroded Angus’ will, only now Angus could almost place it.

 

_She ripped the memories from the people she was closest too, then failed to rectify her mistakes and had to manipulate those same people she claimed to care about. And after all of that, she was still wrong._

 

How could he not have seen it before? Madame Director was never a bastion of strength and willpower. She simply had a superiority complex and time.

 

Angus was nothing but bones now, held together by necromantic energy. The emerald’s beam faded, and begun to spin again. This time it spun at a rapid pace, slowly absorbing the ash cloud. After all the pain and self-doubt, Angus could feel his mind begin to crack. In a desperate attempt to stay sane, he thought of his found family. Taako, who taught him magic. Magnus, who taught him true strength. Merle, who taught him compassion.

 

_Taako, who stole and lied to you. Magnus, who was only ever nice to you out of pity. Merle, who treated you as an annoying child._

 

Angus was expecting the voice this time, but he didn’t expect to realize why it was so familiar.

 

_Taako only taught you magic because you became useful to him. They never truly cared about you. All your life, people were only nice to you so they could use you. Manipulate you. You were a child, and they treated you like a tool. Now, you have the power to pay them back. To throw off the yoke of your so-called friends and make them your tools._

 

The voice was right. It had always been right. Angus never should have tried to doubt the voice. After all, it was his own.

 

Having absorbed all of Angus’ flesh, the emerald shattered into a fine dust. The dust swirled around Angus’ skeletal form, creating a deep green cloak and completing the transformation. He floated in the air a moment, before collecting his phylactery.

 

_The others are going to be so surprised._


End file.
